The Annual Summit for Early Talent Developers
Since 2012, the North America’s early talent development program leaders have met at the LDP Summit to innovate, share and connect.
The LDP Summit is a unique conference tailor-made for early talent development professionals. Bring your challenges and enthusiam, and invest in YOUR OWN professional development alongside your peers at the 15th annual LDP Summit in Atlanta, GA on May 6 & 7, 2026.
Why attend the LDP Summit?
Click the video below to hear what others have to say.
THE ANNUAL LDP SUMMIT
Two Days of Transformation...
The 2025 conference welcomed 175 people from 87 organizations. The 2026 LDP Summit will be on May 6-7 in Atlanta, GA. See the agenda below.
- Get better results from your early talent programs
- Lead program changes and improvements
- Demonstrate your program's value with metrics
- Discover that you are not ALONE!
Who Comes to the LDP Summit?
“I absolutely LOVED the event and took away so much goodness that I can’t wait to implement in our program.”
LaKeisha James, AT&T
“It was an incredible experience connecting with like-minded professionals, brainstorming innovative ideas, and sharing best practices in early career development. The summit was packed with session speakers who inspired us to think bigger and act bolder.”
Hadyn Hebert, Phillips-Medisize
LDP Connect is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
The use of this official seal confirms that this Activity has met HR Certification Institute’s® (HRCI®) criteria for recertification credit pre-approval.
15th ANNUAL LDP SUMMIT AGENDA
May 6th & 7th, 2026: Atlanta, GA
(Under construction)
Pre-Conference Workshops: Tuesday, May 5th, 2026 (separate registration fee)
Workshop A
8am-3pm
Separate Registration Fee
Hosted by
520 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202
Pre-Conference Workshop: How to Build (or Re-Build) a Quality Early Talent Development Program
Offered again in 2026! Getting a program started on the right footing can make all the difference between success and trouble. With the LDP Connect maturity model as a backdrop, this full-day workshop will get you focused on the key foundational questions to setting up and running an impactful (and measurable) early talent development program. With an emphasis on clarifying your program’s goals, you’ll be guided through considering proper program structure, curriculum design, and community building among stakeholders. If you’re new to the world of early talent development programs, or if you’re looking to re-vamp an existing program that may need recalibration, don’t miss this workshop. Facilitated by early talent development experts at Wronski Associates – a firm with 40 years of experience building and running early talent programs. Learn more.
Workshop B
8am-3pm
Separate Registration Fee
Pre-Conference Workshop B: "LAUNCH" - The Accelerator for Professionals New to Early Talent Development
“LAUNCH” is a professional development experience for new early talent development staff that accelerates their understanding of the field and equips them with the skills to be strategic and innovative in their new role. Through a day-long masterclass, and three virtual sessions in the months that follow, LAUNCH will introduce participants to the value of early talent development programs in an organization, illuminate the forces that impact their success, and teach actionable strategies to quickly boost their productivity. Participants will leave with a solid foundation in early talent development theory, a tight network of like-minded new professionals, and the confidence to thrive. Facilitated by two senior early talent development experts with a combined 30 years of experience leading the early talent function at multi-billion dollar organizations. Learn more.
Mindful Pre-Conference Reset
4:30-6pm
Separate Registration Fee
Atlanta Location TBD
The Clarity Lab: Nature-Based Pre-Conference Team Reset at the 2026 LDP Summit
FREE TO ORGANIZATIONS SENDING 4 OR MORE PEOPLE TO THE 2026 LDP SUMMIT. Don’t have a full team? You’re still very welcome to join.
You’re about to take in a flood of ideas and inspiration at the LDP Summit — but before the learning begins, take a moment to pause and reset. Through nature, mindfulness, movement, reflection, and teamwork, you and your colleagues will step away from your daily overstimulation, and the demands of developing others, for an intentional reset with mindful pragmatist Shawnta Hooks. This pre-conference experience is a rare chance to slow down, breathe, play, and reconnect as a team.
You’ll leave calm, focused, resilient, and energized — ready to absorb more from the conference and contribute fully to your organization, without carrying the stress of travel or workload into the room.
Skeptical about mindfulness? See firsthand how practical and powerful it can be. Learn more.
Main Conference Day 1: Wednesday, May 6th, 2026
7:45 am
Breakfast & Networking
8:15 am
Welcome & Introductions
8:30 am
Opening Keynote
Founder of Aim A Little Higher, Olympic Torchbearer, Former British Youth MP
Kamal Ellis-Hyman
Hooked on Your Program: Using Game Design to drive engagement, growth and success
Think about that one part of your program that keeps falling flat. The one that leads to blank stares, ignored invites and no shows. We all have one (at least!)
Now imagine flipping that completely. What if participants couldn’t wait to engage? What if your program became as irresistible as the latest hit video game—so compelling that people not only show up, they come back again and again, eager to take the next challenge?
The world’s most successful games are masterclasses in motivation and engagement. They keep players hooked by using clear goals, visible progress, meaningful challenges, and social connection. These same principles can be applied to early career programs to drive deeper participation, stronger cohort connections, and sustained momentum.
In this keynote, Aim A Little Higher Founder Kamal Ellis-Hyman will explore how core principles from game design that make them irresistable can be translated into practical strategies for early talent program management. We’ll identify specific areas of program management that can be redesigned with gaming principles to naturally encourage engagement, ownership, and fun.
You’ll walk away with concrete strategies to flip low-engagement activities into the parts of your program everyone looks forward to. Imagine!
9:30 am
Networking Break
9:45 am Concurrent Session 1A
Senior Director, Global Learning Experience Design & Delivery at Robert Half
Rebecca Alimorong
When Talent Takes a Turn: Building Flexibility into Early Career Programs
Early talent programs are designed to attract and grow the next generation of high-performers—but what happens when participants’ interests shift away from the program’s “destination?” As new employees seek increasing career flexibility, the risk is clear: if we can’t accommodate their evolving goals, they may choose to grow elsewhere.
In this session, Rebecca Alimorong, Senior Director of Global Learning Experience Design and Delivery at Robert Half, will share a groundbreaking initiative aimed at keeping RHI talent at RHI—even as employee aspirations evolve. Their new approach focuses on formalizing internal mobility, and leverages a company-wide skills inventory to create alternative career pathways. In this session, we’ll explore how this model could:
- Create flexible rotations for participants as their interests evolve.
- Provide more options for off-boarding when expected permanent roles are limited.
- Support ongoing alumni development after program completion.
- Find alternatives for participants who leave the program (voluntarily, or not).
Join us to learn how flexible career paths can strengthen early talent programs, improve retention, and ensure that employees grow with your organization rather than out of it.
Concurrent Session 1B
Global Operations Manager - Early Career at Oracle
Deb Shugard
From Scattered to Connected: The Surprising Power of In-Office Events for Early Talent
As early talent programs expand across regions and time zones, one of the biggest challenges for program leaders is ensuring that every participant—no matter where they sit—feels equally connected, supported, and valued. How can we keep early career employees engaged and help them build the relationships and networks so vital to their success? In this energizing session, Deb Shugard, Principal Program Manager – Early Career at Oracle, shares her journey rethinking engagement through the lens of in-office events. Learn how thoughtfully designed local gatherings can break down silos, spark new friendships, broaden professional networks, and create a buzz that resonates far beyond the event itself—with many positive outcomes that go well beyond initial expectations. Walk away with actionable ideas to strengthen cross-geography cohesion, increase program equity, and cultivate a vibrant early talent community—one where every participant feels seen, connected, and truly part of the whole.
10:45 am
Networking Break
11:00 am Concurrent Session 2A
Talent Management Lead at Humana
Kesha Funk
When to Decide, When to Elevate: Governance for Emerging Talent
Early talent programs often launch with speed and flexibility, but as they scale, informal decision-making can become a barrier to consistency and long-term impact. In this session, Kesha Funk, Enterprise Leader for Humana’s Emerging Talent Programs, will share a practical framework for building governance that supports growth without slowing momentum. Drawing from real-world program evolution, she will explore how to clarify when decisions should sit with the program, when to engage HR or direct-line leadership, and when to elevate decisions to a strategy-aligned governance body. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to strengthen decision clarity, stakeholder alignment, and program sustainability as their emerging talent initiatives mature.
Concurrent Session 2B
Manager, Early Career Programs at Synchrony
Ryan Gibson
Delegation Without Desperation: Turning Colleagues into a Specialized Support Team
Leveraging the support of colleagues is one of the most powerful—and underutilized—ways to scale an early talent program. The benefits are obvious, but the way to do it is less so. How do we create a culture where people want to volunteer to help the program – not just to be charitable, but as a way to achieve their own priorities? How do we focus and structure their support so that we can streamline operations, hold them accountable, and make changes when we need to?
In this session, Ryan Gibson, Manager of Early Career Programs at Synchrony, will share how Synchrony recently restructured the multi-track format of their Business Leadership Program. He’ll discuss how increased specialization among volunteers—focused on areas like recruiting, development, alumni engagement, or operations—helped strengthen program execution.
Just as importantly, Ryan will address how Synchrony has created a culture where colleagues are self-driven to volunteer to help. Rather than relying exclusively on goodwill, attendees will learn how to position early talent work as meaningful, visible, and professionally rewarding for volunteers—allowing program leaders to be selective, set expectations, and hold contributors accountable.
12:00 pm
Lunch
1:00 pm
Concurrent Session 3A
Senior Practitioners’ Meeting – Moving Forward Together
Concurrent Session 3B
Functional “Club” Roundtables
2:15 pm
Networking Break
2:30 pm
Concurrent Session 4A
Manager, Early Career Programs at Fitch Group
NaTasha Spence
Rotations: Development Engine or Corporate Hunger Games?
Rotational programs have long been a cornerstone of early talent development. At their best, they offer broad skill-building, deep enterprise exposure, and firsthand insight into how different teams—and leaders—contribute to organizational success. For many programs, rotations are positioned as the ultimate development accelerator.
But let’s be honest: designing and managing rotations isn’t always seamless. The matching process can become competitive and emotionally charged. Managers advocate fiercely for top talent. Participants lobby for preferred assignments. Expectations don’t always align—and when they don’t, even high‑potential employees can disengage or leave altogether. At times, rotation management can feel less like intentional development and more like corporate Hunger Games.
So where do rotations truly add value—and where do they create unnecessary complexity Drawing on her experience leading both rotational and non‑rotational early talent programs, NaTasha Spence, Manager of Early Talent Programs at Fitch Group, will facilitate a candid, interactive discussion on the real impact of rotations. Together, participants will explore when rotations meaningfully advance development and business outcomes, when they may fall short, and what alternative approaches can deliver strong results with less friction.
This session is designed for early talent leaders who are questioning the status quo, navigating stakeholder tensions, or re‑evaluating whether rotations are the right fit for their programs. If you’ve ever wondered whether managing rotations is truly “worth it,” this conversation is for you.
Concurrent Session 4B
Solution Director at Turnberry Solutions
Maura Bremer Peterson
Customization Without Chaos: A Framework for Adaptable, Scalable Early Talent Development
Talent development leaders are under pressure to retain and develop early career employees whose goals, career ambitions, and desired roles may shift as they gain experience. At the same time, early talent programs must meet the demands of the business – rapidly evolving technology, ever-changing industry trends, and growing expectations to deliver high-quality training, mentorship, and support even as budgets are trimmed. So, how do we build programs that attract and retain high performers as industry trends and individual career aspirations evolve? How do we maintain individualized, high-touch development models that can flex and adapt without sacrificing outcomes? In this session, Lydia Benge Cloeter, Maura Bremer Peterson, and Haley Fee, leaders of Turnberry Solutions’ Crew program, share how their team prepares early-career consultants for an unpredictable world where projects, clients, skills, and aspirations can change quickly. Learn how Crew designs customizable learning journeys and high-touch coaching and development experiences that feel personal and responsive while remaining scalable, delivering meaningful development at volume and enabling participants to navigate change with confidence.
3:30 pm
Networking Break
3:45 pm
Rapid Fire Session
Rapid Fire Session
5:00 pm
Evening Reception
Main Conference, Day 2: Thursday, May 7th, 2026
8:00 am
Breakfast & Networking
8:30 am Plenary Session
Program Manager, Learning & Talent Enablement at Liberty Mutual
Chuck England
Sr. Consultant & Trainer at Wronski Associates
Rich Trombetta
Technology Development Program Manager at Optum
Kristen Edblom
President at Wronski Associates
Steve Wronski
"AI in Action" Showcase: Quick Takes, Open Tables
You know there’s real potential in using AI to run programs more effectively, personalize development, and free up time for the work that matters most. But you’re probably also wondering: What’s actually working? What’s realistic for a team like mine? And where do I even start?
In this session, you’ll hear brief, candid stories from several early talent practitioners who are leveraging AI in their programs today. They’ll share what they tried, what helped, what didn’t, and what surprised them—covering real use cases in program management, candidate engagement, learning design, and internal operations.
Then the session opens up. Each presenter will host an informal table conversation where you can dig deeper, ask practical questions, and explore how similar approaches might (or might not) translate to your own organization. Come listen, compare notes, pressure-test ideas, and leave with concrete examples you can adapt—at your own pace and on your own terms.
9:45 am
Networking Break
10:00 am Concurrent Session 5A
Early Career Specialist at Sonoco
Joseph Cook
Learning That Leaves a Mark: Designing Experiences with Real Impact
“Experiential learning” gets tossed around a lot in early talent programs—but too often it means icebreakers, trust falls, and activities that are memorable without being meaningful. Fun? Sure. Transformational? Not always.
Join Joseph Cook, Early Career Specialist at Sonoco Products and former Manager of Instructors at an experiential learning firm, for a no-nonsense look at what truly makes an experience impactful for early talent. In this session, Joseph won’t just talk about experiential learning—he’ll put you in it. Then he’ll pull back the curtain to break down what made it effective (or not).
You’ll learn the core design and facilitation elements that turn activities into real learning, including how to connect experiences directly to competency, confidence, and on-the-job performance; and practical ways to measure real impact in development—beyond “participants liked it”
If you want experiential learning that builds competency, boosts confidence, and keeps participants engaged, this session will show you how to deliver.
Concurrent Session 5B
Director, Early Career Finance Development Programs at ServiceNow
Samantha Dray
Turning AI Threat into Early Talent Triumph
Many of the headlines these days suggest that AI will reduce the need for early career talent. But what if the opposite is true? What if early talent is actually the key to building a successful, AI-enabled workforce? Early career professionals are often the most adaptable, technically curious, and ambitious segment of the workforce—uniquely positioned to explore what AI can do and to drive its adoption at scale. In this session, Samantha Dray, Director of Early Career Finance Development Programs at ServiceNow, challenges the narrative that AI sidelines early talent. Instead, she shares how ServiceNow’s finance organization puts early career talent at the center of AI innovation—tasking them with envisioning, testing, and delivering AI solutions to real business problems. Learn how creating a safe environment to experiment (and fail) has led to meaningful innovation, measurable results, and a stronger role for early talent in shaping how leadership imagines the future workforce.
11:00 am
Networking Break
11:15 am Concurrent Session 6A
Vice President, Leadership Programs and Early Career at Synchrony
Vince Bond
Comp is Complicated: Navigating Pay Strategy in Early Talent Programs
Compensation can either strengthen your early career program — or quietly undermine it. You need competitive pay to attract top candidates — but that’s just the beginning. Participants may share the same job code, yet their assignments, rotations, locations, and impact can differ dramatically. Should they all be paid the same? Why or why not? And with transparency increasing, how can you develop a pay philosophy that your participants and other stakeholders can get behind?
Using Synchrony’s Business Leadership Program as a backdrop, Vince Bond will lead a discussion of some of the core challenges in using comp effectively in your early talent program. What’s negotiable? When do adjustments make sense for your program? How can you partner effectively with your compensation colleagues, and what should you do if that partnership gets rocky?
Leave with guiding principles to navigate compensation confidently, make fair and strategic decisions, and ensure your early talent program attracts, develops, and retains top performers.
Concurrent Session 6B
Early Career Talent Manager at Saint-Gobain
David Knutson
TBD
Description coming…
12:15 pm
Lunch
12:15 pm
Special Team Lunch
Facilitated Team Workshop
New for 2025! Mastermind Lunch for Teams
Bring colleagues from your organization, and work as a team alongside early talent teams from other organizations in this professionally facilitated mastermind workshop—co-led led by our opening and closing keynote speakers! Accomplish for your team what busy schedules often prevent during the year. All organizations sending four or more people to the LDP Summit will have access to this bonus session. Details to come!
1:15 pm
Community Interactive Session
Topic Tables: "Idea Snack” discussions
2:15 pm
Closing Keynote
Managing Director at LDP Connect
Dan Beaudry
Key Findings from the 2026 LDP Survey of Early Talent Program Practices
Every two years, the LDP Connect community participates in the LDP Survey – a unique study of practices related to the positioning, management and evaluation of early career talent development programs. The 2024 data includes information collected from 169 development programs from 97 marquis employers across the country. In this session, we’ll explore what the data tell us. What is a “good” post-program retention rate? What activities are correlated with “success?” How diverse is the typical program? What program inputs are correlated with program success metrics? And many other insights. Join us!
3:15 pm
Close and Networking
The Carter Center
453 John Lewis Freedom Pkwy NE
Atlanta, GA, 30307
Questions? Please contact [email protected]
FAQ's
Why attend a conference for early talent development professionals?
Because you need support and validation! The life of an early talent development professional is challenging. You hold together a community of people at multiple levels of seniority, and the stakes are high. Early talent developers are coaches, sales people, recruiters, career counselors and brand managers all wrapped into one. The job is big and no one understands you better than your peers. Invest in attending the conference and you’ll walk out with ideas, friends and a whole bunch of positive energy.
What's unique about the LDP Summit?
Although our conference includes content related to early talent acquisition, we are not a “campus recruiting” conference. The LDP Summit was founded in 2012 to focus on early talent development and how to optimize the structured programs that exist to promote it. There are no university career services professionals at the LDP Summit, and the vast majority of our content is produced and delivered by members of our community – other early talent development professionals like you.
What content does the LDP Summit cover?
Here is a link to the agenda of this year’s conference. You can also see past agendas for 2025, 2024, 2023, and 2022. LDP Summit sessions cover many tactical issues in running successful early talent development programs, and often tackle larger strategic questions about early talent development in general.
What if I have more questions about the Summit?
If you have more questions about the LDP Summit or about the LDP Connect community, please contact us at [email protected].
Is there a group discount?
Yes! If you send more than one person, you get a 5% discount on all attendees. Please contact [email protected] for the team discount coupon code. ALSO, if you send at least four people, your full team will be invited to our exclusive Team Workshop session designed for attending teams from the same organization. Bring your colleagues and build something together.
What do past attendees say about the LDP Summit?
Many attendees come back year over year to connect with colleagues and share innovations in early talent program management. Here are some testimonials from past attendees.
Some Participating Organizations
LDP Connect includes professionals from many of the world’s marquis employers, including 40% of the Fortune 100.
